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Triumph customer service - Atlanta
I just got off the phone with Peter at Triumph Customer Service in Atlanta. I called to express my concern with the packaging and quality of Triumph accessories. My call was meant to be constructive criticism as being the owner of a 2008 Rocket III Touring, I am a Triumph booster. My bike has been great so far and my dealer, Blackfoot Motorsports in Calgary, has been outstanding.
All of this took place during non-riding weather, thank goodness, and I live about 45 miles away from my dealer. Those who think of these things can tally up the gas costs of driving a 4X4 pickup for each visit.
My first concern was with the pannier guards. When I brought them home, I discovered that I couldn't attach the left side guard because they had shipped an incorrect part. To clamp the bracket onto the rear engine guard, you need an inside clamp (with holes for the bolt to slide through) and an outside clamp (with tapped holes to receive the bolts). I got another right inside (with holes) instead of a left outside.
My dealer ordered me another "clamp", which I went to pick up a couple of weeks later. What appeared was another inside left clamp. The schematic on the parts computer is vague, so I don't really blame the dealership. It names each clamp simply as "left clamp", not specifying whether it is for the inside or the outside. So - we noted the part number of the "wrong" left clamp and ordered the other one. Hip, hip, hoorah - a couple of weeks later, the correct part finally came. From the time I ordered the pannier guards until I was able to put them on the bike was over six weeks.
Concurrent with the pannier guard fiasco, I ordered chrome passenger footboard covers. (Sorry, I can't help it. I came from the Harley world.) Once again, I got them home and took them out of the packaging only to discover a problem. One cover had a couple of dimples in it which caused it to warp slightly. Blackfoot didn't hesitate to order me another set with one phone call.
When the new footboard covers came in, I checked them right there at the dealership. This set wasn't damaged. However, I must say that they are not Harley quality. They are about as robust as a license plate and the chrome job is adequate to mediocre.
I've accessorized 4 Harleys over the last 5 years. Every time I bought a part, I felt I was being gouged because they were so expensive. BUT! The quality was always there. I can't say the same for these footboard covers. For $90.00 a pair, I expect show quality chrome, not adequate chrome. With Harley I never had a problem with missing parts (check postings re. Triumph auxiliary lights), the wrong parts (pannier guards) or defective parts (the footboard covers).
This has made we wary of ordering any more Triumph accessories. When it comes to performance pipes, I think I'll give D&D the nod. Who knows what I'll get if I order the TORs...
Now you're probably wondering how Peter responded. His bottom line was "have the dealership install any accessory parts". I asked him if that was really his answer, because I told him this was going on the Internet. As they say on that TV show, that was his final answer.
I did have the dealer install my auxiliary lights because they looked like a pain in the butt to do. I'm glad that I had the dealer install my front engine guards, because he had to support the engine in order to remove a bolt that goes from side to side. But pannier guards (4 bolts involved) and passenger footboard covers (4 bolts involved)? Give me a break!
Aside from the cost ($100/hour) involved, there's the inconvenience. My closest dealer is 45 miles away. The next one is about 200 miles farther on. They're not terribly busy now (end of January), but when riding season starts, a booking could be weeks down the road.
Peter's rational for his position was that the dealership will note any problems with damaged or missing parts and MAY be able to correct the situation right then. This would only be possible, of course, if the correct parts were already at the dealership. My pannier guards and chrome footboard covers had top be special-ordered, so that's not likely. Then you're back to waiting for them to be delivered and returning to the dealership yet again after trying to find a spot to get into a busy service department.
So - the message is this. To increase your odds of having Triumph accessories added to your bike the first time you order them, have them installed at the dealership.
Last edited by JimmyCanuck; 01-27-2009 at 07:29 PM.
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